Mastering the Inbox: Best Practices for Email Marketing That Delivers

Email marketing is an ever-evolving platform that remains one of the most effective ways to reach your audience. Whether you’re building relationships, driving sales or keeping your brand top-of-mind, the details matter. A poorly designed email can end up in spam (or worse, ignored).

To ensure your emails engage your audience and drive action, follow these best practices:

Phone Comes First

Most people check their email on their phones, so if your email isn’t mobile-friendly, you’ve lost them before they even start scrolling. Research shows that mobile open rates are about 30% higher than desktop as of 2024. Stick to a simple, single-column layout, use easy-to-read fonts (at least 16 points) and make those buttons big enough to tap without a second try (44 pixels for Apple, 48 pixels for Google).

Let Images Do the Heavy Lifting

Visuals make emails pop, but too many or too large of file size can slow things down or clutter your message. Keep images crisp, optimized for mobile (here are Mailchimp’s recommendations) and always include alt text because not everyone sees emails the same way, and you don’t want your message to disappear if images don’t load.

Don’t Make Them Squint

A beautiful email is useless if your audience struggles to read it. Stick to at least 16 pixels for body text, but 20 pixels is even better for desktop readability. Buttons should also be large enough to click easily; tiny text and cramped buttons frustrate users and reduce engagement.

Headers Hook, Footers Seal the Deal

Your emails should be easy to read for everyone, including those with visual impairments. Use strong color contrast to improve readability, and test your emails with an “inbox preview” tool to check how they appear in colorblind mode. 

Final Thoughts

Email marketing is only effective if your audience actually reads and engages with your campaigns. Follow these tips, and you’ll be sending messages that are clear, clickable and worth opening.